Using longitudinal qualitative research to explore extra care housing

Ailsa Cameron,Eleanor K Johnson,Liz Lloyd,Simon Evans,Randall Smith,Jeremy Porteus,Robin Darton,Teresa Atkinson

doi:10.1080/17482631.2019.1593038

Abstract

ABSTRACT Purpose: The process of individual ageing in the context of a care environment is marked by continuity and change. It is shaped by individual, health-related factors as well as by diverse social and environmental factors, including characteristics of the places where older people live. The aim of this paper was to explore how longitudinal qualitative research, as a research method, could be used to explore older people’s changing care needs. Methods: The study used a longitudinal design to examine how the care and support needs of residents and their expectations of services developed over time and how these were influenced by changes in the organisation of their housing as well as in the make-up of the resident population. Residents were interviewed on four occasions over 20 months. Results: The study highlighted the complex ways in which some participants proactively managed the care and support they received, which we argue would have been difficult to discern through other methods. Conclusion: The study adds to the growing evidence base that supports the use of qualitative longitudinal research; the approach enables the researcher to capture the diverse and mutable nature of older people’s experiences at a time of profound change in their lives.

Highlights

In the UK, the increase in life expectancy is frequently associated with long-term health conditions, disabilities and a loss of ability to manage self-care, which have led to increased demand for health and social care services (Atkinson et al, 2014; King’s Fund, 2014)
The study adds to the growing evidence base that supports the use of qualitative longitudinal research; the approach enables the researcher to capture the diverse and mutable nature of older people’s experiences at a time of profound change in their lives
To illustrate how a longitudinal design informs our understanding of Extra care housing (ECH), we present below data addressing our first objective in three key themes, which relate to the experiences of residents: the changing care needs of residents; residents’ perspectives on the mix of residents in ECH schemes where they lived, and residents’ perspectives on organizational changes

Summary

Introduction

In the UK, the increase in life expectancy is frequently associated with long-term health conditions, disabilities and a loss of ability to manage self-care, which have led to increased demand for health and social care services (Atkinson et al, 2014; King’s Fund, 2014). ECH has a particular place in the range of social care services. It offers a distinct model which facilitates independent living for older adults with access to care and support when necessary. There is a social and temporal dimension to the study discussed in this paper, with attention to the lifecourse experiences of older residents, their perceptions of their health and wellbeing as it changes over time, their experiences of living in ECH, and how these interacted and influenced their perceptions of ageing and receiving care services

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion